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iPad Gear: LEVO G2 Deluxe Tablet Stand Review

By Mike Rileyon Tue, 07/10/2018

One of the most frequent places in my home that I use my iPad is in bed. Whether it's binge watching videos, surfing the web, or immersing myself in a captivating eBook, I enjoy the comfort of relaxing (and frequently dozing off) on a comfortable mattress surrounded by lots of pillows. Unfortunately, propping my iPad in between bunched up pillows or contorting my body to accommodate a good screen viewing angle while preventing the tablet from slipping is an exercise in frustration. Holding the tablet is fine for a few minutes, but doing so for ten minutes or longer is fatiguing. There is also the real concern of falling asleep and the unsecured iPad then sliding and crashing to the floor.

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To counter these issues, I constructed my own iPad stand years ago using an inexpensive microphone tripod stand and an IK Multimedia iKlip Xpand($49.99), and while that rectified a number of issues, it wasn't a perfect solution. First, the mic stand base wasn't particularly stable (especially with a heavy tablet hanging off the stand's extending boom to properly extend over the bed) and could be knocked off with an accidental bump. Seating and removing the tablet from the iKlip was also tricky in this precarious position so as not to have the tablet flip out of the clip uncontrollably when doing so. Tapping on the screen would convert into vibrations that would bobble the iPad enough to induce nausea. Finally, while this inventive hack accomplished my goal, it looked ugly and precariously perched at the side of my bed. So when I discovered that LEVO had created a stand that addressed all the shortcomings of my hacky attempt, I was intrigued.

The LEVO G2 Deluxe Tablet Stand($189.99) costs about a hundred dollars more than my cheaper approach, but it is far more functional, stable and pragmatically attractive. The most immediately noticeable aspect of the stand is its incredibly heavy, solid 20 pound base. It is this base that consumes a majority of the total weight of the product, and for good reason. Bumps and tilts that would normally have sent my homemade solution crashing to the ground didn't affect the stability of the LEVO G2 one bit.

Assembling the LEVO G2 took less than 10 minutes and didn't require any tools (except for a penny that was used to tighten a plastic screw per the instructions). However, because the base and materials were packed in a hefty amount of Styrofoam, little white beads of the stuff clung to the base. Blowing them off sent them sprinkling my room like seedlings. Fortunately a good vacuuming cleaned up the mess.

Besides the stand's stability, what struck me most impressively is its dynamic range of movement. All three axes of space are well serviced in LEVO's height-adjustable center poles, articulating swing arms and tilting tablet holder that easily locks into position with the flick of the rear locking lever. It took less than a minute to secure my iPad in the tablet holder and perfectly adjust the height and angle of the tablet while lying on my bed. No more neck or eye strain, and the assembly was rock solid enough to withstand screen taps with just a hint of vibration.

Since the height of the stand can extend up to over 4.5 feet, the LEVO G2 can be used at workbenches, lounge and reclining chairs, desks, and even treadmills. And while it is currently only available in one color, gun metal, the color choice is neutral enough to match most of the room scenarios it will be used in.

Pros

Solid Construction

Heavy, Sturdy Base

Highly flexible positioning

No tools required for assembly

Cons

Expensive

Vacuum after assembly

Final Verdict

Overall, I am confident enough with my daily experiences using the LEVO G2 to declare it is by far the best, most flexible tablet stand I have used since the introduction of the iPad. If you want a rock solid tablet stand that will accommodate a variety of stable tablet-holding scenarios in a very dynamic range of positions and tablet orientations, the LEVO G2 is the first such stand you should consider buying.

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Mike Riley is a frequent contributor to several technical publications and specializes in emerging technologies and new development trends. Mike was previously employed by RR Donnelley as the company’s Chief Scientist, responsible for determining innovative technical approaches to improve the company’s internal and external content services. Mike also co-hosted Computer Connection, a technology enthusiast show broadcast on Tribune Media's CLTV.

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